Eh, there can be as many theories and rational thoughts as possible but the fact remains that Americans are passive, nothing will change and the people taking action know this. They just pushed full steam ahead and there’s almost no resistance. The people who are already in government and stand to lose power are doing what they can to fight but the general population is just online sending crying emojis, repeating their latest buzzwords (did “a suit without a man” fade away yet?) and getting their feelings of accomplishment online.
It’s bizarre to see a country like the USA be so passive. Absolutely amazing.
It comes from being overworked and spending their entire adult lives in hierarchical organizations where there is no justice. They’re used to being at the mercy of asshole bosses and they’ve never seen examples of people successfully pushing back. This is learned helplessness. And if you look at posts here, too many of them express that same defeatist sentiment.
I used to see many people socializing outside: adults and kids. Now, 4 decades later I only see kids under 12 hang outside. I noticed people from Europe coming here expressing surprise of streets empty of pedestrians.
At the same time, I witnessed less places and businesses where people can be together, less attendance at both bars, school sports and churches - and the decline of local politics, grassroots and community activism.
I can’t help but think all these are related to what you say here
Civil society in the US is in a dire state. This is by design. The capitalists and their puppet politicians don’t want us having social connections outside work. We might start having ideas.
Get out, go for walks, go to cafes, talk to random strangers. It’s absolutely critical to mental health and it breaks that cycle of isolation.
Source: I live in a small city in England, and I feel far more connected than I did in US cities, despite the notorious reserve of the English. (Hint: they’re more talkative after a few pints).
The technology revolution hit the USA harder than many places because not only did most of the population change careers, but were able to be scattered more . There were more bonds of neighborhood and family broken, than most other countries.
It certainly was an additional burden for many in the USA, and is probably the main reason the murder rate is higher than in the UK due the extra fractures of family and friendship structure over the decades
Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam. Community has been on a slow decline in America since 1965. The combination of an increasingly isolated population and a 24-hour propaganda news cycle aimed to pit you against your neighbor has been a wild success.
Eh, there can be as many theories and rational thoughts as possible but the fact remains that Americans are passive, nothing will change and the people taking action know this. They just pushed full steam ahead and there’s almost no resistance. The people who are already in government and stand to lose power are doing what they can to fight but the general population is just online sending crying emojis, repeating their latest buzzwords (did “a suit without a man” fade away yet?) and getting their feelings of accomplishment online.
It’s bizarre to see a country like the USA be so passive. Absolutely amazing.
It comes from being overworked and spending their entire adult lives in hierarchical organizations where there is no justice. They’re used to being at the mercy of asshole bosses and they’ve never seen examples of people successfully pushing back. This is learned helplessness. And if you look at posts here, too many of them express that same defeatist sentiment.
I used to see many people socializing outside: adults and kids. Now, 4 decades later I only see kids under 12 hang outside. I noticed people from Europe coming here expressing surprise of streets empty of pedestrians.
At the same time, I witnessed less places and businesses where people can be together, less attendance at both bars, school sports and churches - and the decline of local politics, grassroots and community activism.
I can’t help but think all these are related to what you say here
Civil society in the US is in a dire state. This is by design. The capitalists and their puppet politicians don’t want us having social connections outside work. We might start having ideas.
Get out, go for walks, go to cafes, talk to random strangers. It’s absolutely critical to mental health and it breaks that cycle of isolation.
Source: I live in a small city in England, and I feel far more connected than I did in US cities, despite the notorious reserve of the English. (Hint: they’re more talkative after a few pints).
The technology revolution hit the USA harder than many places because not only did most of the population change careers, but were able to be scattered more . There were more bonds of neighborhood and family broken, than most other countries.
It certainly was an additional burden for many in the USA, and is probably the main reason the murder rate is higher than in the UK due the extra fractures of family and friendship structure over the decades
Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam. Community has been on a slow decline in America since 1965. The combination of an increasingly isolated population and a 24-hour propaganda news cycle aimed to pit you against your neighbor has been a wild success.
Also fighting for survival with multiple jobs pretty much kills the inventive for anything social on your rare free time